I have an interesting tale that I would appreciate some advice, feedback or experience regarding.
I am a current RN student well into school. I am a good student, I do not miss class, have a good gpa..I am the one who follows the rules.
I was informed late last semester that I did not pass a nursing class. MANY issues arose in finding out why, but I filed a grievance with the college and it took all summer to get through the proper channels. I presented myself well, was polite and dignified and very well prepared.
I was turned down.
NOW..the issue at hand. During this process, I found out through self-admittance of the professor involved in all of this that a great deal of the class sat at "my" level..and her exact words were "I had to lower the passing grade percentages to fill the nursing xxxxx class for next semester as we were worried we would not have enough students." Now passing was a 78%. A "D" or non-passing grade is a 70-77.5%. Admittedly, this professor passed some D's onto a C to fill the next semester of classes. I heard this, the college president heard this, everyone heard it..including my attorney who was only there as a witness.
I kept quiet as this was BIG information. Earlier in the grievance proceeding, I was called a poor student for a previous nursing class grade of a "C". I argued that this "C" was a 84.33%.
I was met with..doesn't matter, a "C" is a "C".
SO..isn't a "D" a "D"?
Can this professor pass students with the SAME letter grade on and not others? There is no description in the syllabus for a D-, D, or a D+.. If a C is a C, then isn't a D a D?
As I kept quiet and discreet about this information that I should not have been privvy too, it worked against me. I thought being discreet would reward me. It did not.
More students were moved on who earned a "D", then were held back and told to repeat.
Also, the students held back..are all federally funded pell grant students. Now the gov't. is paying twice for a student who got the same grade as another who isn't required to retake the class.
Our gov't is broke enough ..
You all know that a professor having this high of a failure rate needs to be evaluated, but it seems the college stands behind her. The professor now explains that this was fair because each class may have had a different test with one being harder than the other? You know we all had basically the same tests.
Anyone with any knowledge or advice? I am posting this in the general nurses forum to gather experience from those who have already graduated or may be educators themselves..
Pixie.. I just realized that you posted multiple times. I am not certain why this angers you so. I do not know everyone's grade. But I do know that students with the same grade as me progressed on when I and others did not. Regardless of the measurement of knowledge is right or not.. The factual content of one student with the same grade passing over another is all I am asking about. You and I both know that sometimes students test better than others where some excel practically. We are only discussing the same earned percentage grade.
Oh and Pixie.. I realize that you are suggesting that someone who does not pass simply suck it up and repeat for the sake of learning.. Good point. How do you feel about others not paying double the tuition, double the time and whatever else when they achieved the same level as those who passed on?
We are all measured in the end by a standardized test to prove competency.
Specializes in future OB/L&D nurse(I hope) or hospice.
Op- I am so sorry you are having to deal with this. I am not yet a nursing student but had something fairly similar happen to me at work. One of the hardest things to do is let something like this go and move on. Every fiber of my being didn't want to let it go, but all it was doing was causing me emotional pain. I found great comfort, in my situation, to just let it go and and give it to God. I wish u the best of luck. Keep your eye on your goals and I know one day you will be the nurse you want to be.:)
basically she scaled her grades, that happens a lot and is fair game... She didn't pass a D she bumped everyones grades and some went to a c.. classic bell curve.
I thank you for your opinion and understand what you have said.
Just making sure that you caught the "why" this has me thinking so hard in my original post. Back when the grievance was filed initially I received a letter from the nursing school dean which stated exactly " you do not exhibit academic strength because you had a C in a previous nursing course".. That C was an 84.33%. A B
is an 85%. I pled my case saying that my C was the highest it could likely be and was met with " a C is a C, the percentage doesn't matter.".
NOT trying to be argumentative with you.. Just making sure someone of both of your obvious wisdom caught that part. And yes, the original professor was part of that letter and stated the same thing.
I GET what your saying but they didn't get a d they got a c when all was said and done she most likely went back an weighted certain test ect...where all of you got bumped. in the end they no longer had a d.
It stinks that some of your classmates got a very very lucky break and your d was lower and did not receive so it didn't benfeit when the grades were raised. i guess the question I would ask you is were you taking part in study groups, tutoring, going before class/staying after to talk with teacher ect.......
the decision has been made, and fair or not , its time to decide what you can do to keep this from happening again. you have gotten a C and a D...so there are some issues with academics ....its time to look within and change the things that you do have control of. hire a tutor, organize yourself and conquor this !!! Good luck!
I'm not sure what class this happened with but since you say that you are well into school I can only assume that it is a pretty important class such as Adult 1, Adult 2, ect. If other students received the same non passing grade as you and were passed then you should feel sorry for them because they are going to be lost in the classes following this one because they obviously did not learn the material well enough. I know you are ****** that it is unfair that some were passed and you were not, because I agree that it is. But you have no one to blame but yourself, you earned those grades no one gave them to you. School, and especially nursing school is not about what letter grade you get but it's about understanding the material. Yes it is nice to get great grades but all of us struggle in nursing school. If you feel absolutely confident that you could walk into a patients room with no instructor help you out and apply the things that were taught in that course then alright, but since you didn't pass I'm guessing that you couldn't. When it comes down to it, you are dealing with lives that is why there are rules and cutoffs for what is passing and what is not.
The only thing I can say is to take it over, and deal with it and don't allow yourself to be angry that you had to retake the class. Since its a repeat you will know the material better, don't think of it as a set back just think of it as another chance to learn all of the things you missed the first time.
Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.
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tunafish1
40 Posts
Pixie... I cannot argue with you at all. Apparently the majority of the class sat at this "maybe/maybe not" level.. It truly is sad